Electric sadiron



y 6, 1947. B. M. RIKER 2,420,195

ELECTRIC SADIRON Filed Feb. 26, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. UR70N fi/km A T TORNE Y May 6, 1947. s. M. RIKER ELECTRIC SADIRON Filed Feb. 26, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 6, 1947 ELECTRIC SADIRON Burton M. Riker, Elgin, Ill., assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Eigin, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application February 26, 1944, Serial No. 524,119

4 Claims.

My invention relates to electric irons and particularly to thermal control means for electric irons.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel form of thermal control for electric irons.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel position for the manual control knob of a thermally-actuable switch for electric irons that shall be out of close heat-receiving relation with the heated body of an iron.

Another object of my invention is to provide a location for the manual control knob for adjustment of the thermally-actuable switch for electric irons that shall ensure that the temperature of the knob shall remain substantially low during operation of the iron.

Other objects of my invention will either be apparent from a description of several modifications embodying my invention or will be pointed out in the course of such description and set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing the elements of my invention applied to an electrically heated sad iron,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the adjusting knob of Figs. 1 and 7,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-45 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, except showing a difierent method of mounting the adjusting knob, and,

Fig. 8 is a diagram of the electric circuits for the iron.

Most of the electric irons heretofore made and sold have an adjusting knob for the thermal control switch for the heater mounted just over the mid-portion of the casing or housing of the iron and positioned relatively closely thereabove. The

result of this is that the temperature of the adjusting knob becomes relatively high during continued operation of, the iron so that it is somewhat diflicult for the operator of the iron to grasp the knob to change the adjustment of the thermal control switch. I provide a novel position for such control knob so that it is out of close heatreceiving relation relatively to the heated body, so that the temperature thereof will remain relatively low even after long continued operation and use of the iron.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I have there shown an electric iron designated generally by the numeral II as comprising a sole plate l3 having a top or clamping plate [5 secured thereto,

adapted to tightly clamp an electric heating means ll against the upper recessed surface of sole plate it. The design and construction of the electric heating element ll may be of any desired kind and forms no part of my present invention.

I provide a casing or housing l9 which may be made of relatively thin sheet metal and which may be held in proper operative position against the peripheral outer edge portions of the sole plate l3 by any suitable or desired means now well known in the art.

I provide further a handle structure 2| which is preferably made of a heat-resisting material now well known in the art and which includes, in addition. to a handle portion, a front support 23 as well as a rear support 25. The front support 23 may be secured against the front portion of the casing IS in any suitable or desired manner.

I provide a cord supporting member 21 which is of substantially L-shape in section having a forwardly extending portion 29 which is adapted to be secured to the bottom surface of the rear support as by one or more machine screws 3 I. The cord supporting member 21 is adapted to be fitted against the upper edge rear end portion of casing 59, which rear end portion has an opening therein to receive the member 21. The mem ber 2! is held in proper operative position against the casing I9 as by a vertically-extending supporting bracket 33 having its lower end secured against sole plate l3 by a machine screw 35, while its upper end is secured by a short machine screw 31 against a substantially horizontally-extending seat on the bottom surface of member 21.

A thermally-actuable heater control switch for the heater ll includes a first contact arm 39 pivoted on a support bracket 4|, each member 39 and 4! being provided intermediate their ends with a pair of spaced vertical lugs, which lugs have pivot pins 43 extending therethrough to permit of the first contact arm 39 moving relatively to a second contact arm 45. The first contact arm is adapted to be moved in a counterclockwise direction by a bimetal bar 41, one end of which is mounted in good heat-receiving relation on the top or clamping plate l5, as by a welding seam 49. The member 4! is of substantially L- shape and is held in proper operative position by a pair of short machine screws 5! and 53 against a lower surface of a depending lug 55 constituting a part of member 27. The second contact arm is also of substantially L-shape and is held in proper operative position by two short machine screws 51 which have screw-threaded engagement with the lower surface of a lug 59 constituting a part of member 27. A coil spring 6! engages with its upper end the lower surface of support 4!, while its lower end engages the first contact arm 39 which is provided with a lug 53 of electric insulating material, which lug 83 is adapted to be engaged by the upwardly flexing end of bimetal bar 21 when the same is heated. The first contact arm 39 and the second contact arm 45 are respectively provided with cooperating contact members in a manner well known in the art. The supporting bracket AI is provided with a small lug or block 65 of electric-insulating material to act as a stop for the upper contact arm 45.

The cord supporting member Z'I has a substantially vertically-extending opening 6'! therethrough, which opening I is adapted to receive a protecting sleeve at extending therethrough and upwardly thereof, this sleeve being tubular and of such external diameter in that part thereor fitt 111130 p g 61' so as to be prevented from movement thereof either longitudinally relatively to member 2'? or a rotative movement relative thereto.

A twin conductor cord II extends outwardly through the protecting sleeve 56, one of the conductors being connected to contact arm by a short machine screw 73, while the other conductor is connected to a terminal member "I which is secured against a portion of the lower surface of member and has connected thereto, by a conductor one terminal of the heating element ll.

I provide a manually-actuable adjusting knob '58 which is of substantially annular shape and position the same around the upper outer end of sleeve 55 with its lower surface in engagement with the upper and outer surface of member 21. The inner surface of knob 79 is provided with an annular groove 8i therein, the depth of this groove varying from one end to another and preferably this groove is less than 360 in periphery. A rod 83 extends through an opening 85 in member 2'! between the inner face of groove 31' and the upper surface of contact arm 45 between the ends of this contact arm. It is evident that turning movement of knob '59 will cause longitudinal movement of rod 85, with the result that the contact end of contact arm 45 will move relatively to its support on the lower face of lug 58, the result being that the operating temperature of the ironing surface of sole plate I3 will vary in accordance with the peripheral position of the adjusting knob l9 relative to the sleeve 85. Reference to Fig. 4 will show a suggeste means for indicating generally the temperature of the sole plate or the variation of such temperature be tween cool hot. While I have shown a specific form of temperature indicating indicia, I do not desire to be limited thereto but may provide other means efiective for the same purpose.

Referring now to Figs. 5, 6, and '7, I have there shown a modification of device embodying my invention. The construction of the sad iron body is substantially the same in this modification as was hereinbefore described for the 1nodification shown particularly in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. The dle structure 87 is, however, slightly differ nt comprising a rear handle support 89 having a rearwardly-extending integral extension 8i which is relatively thin and is provided with an opening 93 therein, the walls of which are of substantially arcuate shape for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. A supporting bracket 95 of substantially L-shape for the handle structure has its lower end secured by a short machine screw 9! to the sole plate I3, while its upper portion is secured by a machine screw against the lower surface of extension SI. A lower con tact arm 9:; is pivotally supported from an upper supporting bar IOI in substantially the same manher as was hereinbefore set forth for the first modification, this supporting bar being held by machine screw I523 against the lower surface of a depending lug IE5 which may be integral with the rear handle support 89. A second contact arm I01 positioned between contact arms 89 and IIII is secured as by a machine screw I09 against the lower surface of a lug III integral with extension SI of the handle structure 8i. The second contact arm I01 has an upwardly extending lug H3 thereon which has an upper arcuate surface thereon for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

I provide a cord supporting member I 55 of generally tubular shape but having a lower end portion N1, the outer walls of which are of arcuate shape adapted to fit into the openin 93 in extension 9| of the handle structure 81. She cord supporting member H5 has an opening H9 extending longitudinally therethrough, this opening having a. larger diameter at its upper end to receive a protecting sleeve IZI, this sleeve being substantially the same as member 89 hereinbefore described. I provide a headless set screw I23 for holding member IZI in proper operative and fixed position in member H5. I provide an adjusting knob I25, which knob is of annular shape having its outer surface engaging the inner surface of an enlarged outer head portion of member I2I, while its inner surface engages the outer surface of member H5. I provide further an annular groove I21 in the inner surface of member I25, the depth of this groove being variable from one end to another and preferably the peripheral extent of groove I2! is less than one complete turn.

I provide member I I5 with a longitudinal opening I29 therein and position within said opening a longitudinally movable rod I3I the outer end of which fits into groove I21, while the inner end thereof fits into the outer arcuate surface of member H3, it being understood that the inner end of rod I3! is properly rounded. Member H5 is held in proper operative position and permit ted to swing in opening 93 in extension 9! by the provision of trunnions I33 constituting a part of member H5. Trunnions I33 are held in bearing recesses in extension 9| by bearing covers I35 secured in proper operative position against the lower surface of extension 9| by short machine screws I31. A twin conductor cord 139 is adapted to extend through member IZI and also through member H5, a holding block I being provided in the lower end portion of member I I5 and held by a headless machine screw I43. The ends of the respective conductors are secured to contact terminals I3 and '15 as hereinbefcre set forth.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings the rear end portion of casing I9 is closed by a bottom closure member or plate I which is held by one or more short machine screws I41. I provide also a combination bottom closure plate I49, as shown in Fig. 7, which closure plate is provided with an upwardly-extending part I5I acting not only as a. protection for the pivotally mountable member H5 and members I2I and I25 supported thereby, but also as a heel rest for the iron,

It is evident that the manually-actuable ad justing knobs I9 and I25 are supported by the cords II and I39 respectively and that they are positioned out of close thermal engagement with the heated body of the iron. It is further evident that the control switch mechanism for the heating element is supported in the first modification by a part of the handle structure, and in the second modification is also supported by the handle structure, thereby permitting assembly of the control switch mechanism on the handle structure before the same is finally mounted in its proper operative position on the rion. The position of the cord supportin member H5 when swung forwardly or in a counterclockwise direction, toward the rear surface of the handle support 89 is shown in broken linesin Fig. 7 of the drawings. It is evident that the manual adjusting knob in both forms of devices shown are well out of close thermal relation with the heated body, that they are supported by the cord structure and that their maximum operating temperature will be relatively low even after long continued use of the iron.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention, and all such modiiications clearly covered by the appended claims shall be considered a part of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric sad iron, the combination with a heated body, a casing thereover, a cord supporting member held against said casing, a handle secured to said casing and said member, a then mally actuable switch mechanism supported by said cord supporting member, of a manually-adjustable annular member around the cord beyond said cord supporting member, a rod extending through said cord supporting member, movable longitudinally therein and having its ends engaging said switch mechanism and said manually-adjustable annular member to vary the temperature of the heated body in accordance with turning movement of the annular member.

2. An electric sad iron comprising a heated body, a casing thereover, a handle structure on said casing, a thermally-actuable switch mechanism supported by said handle structure, a cord supporting member pivotally supported by said handle structure, a manually-adjustable annulus around the cord beyond the cord supporting member and a rod extending through said cord supporting member with its end engaging the switch mechanism and the annulus to vary the temperature of said heated body in accordance with turning movement of said annulus.

3. An electric sad iron comprising a heated body, a casing thereover, a handle structure on said casing, a thermally-actuable switch mechanism supported by said handle structure, a cord supporting member extending through said handle structure, a manually-adjustable annulus around the cord beyond the cord supporting member having an annular groove of varying depth in its inner face and a rod extending through said cord supporting member, longitudinally movable therein, with its ends engaging the switch mechanism and the groove in the annulus to vary the operating temperature of the heated body in accordanc with turnin movement of the annulus.

4. An electric sad iron comprising a heated body, a casing thereon, a handle structure on said casing including a cord supporting member, a thermally-actuable switch mechanism supported by said cord supporting member, a manuallyadjustable annulus around said cord beyond the cord supporting member having an annular groove of varying depth in its inner face and a rod extending through said cord supporting member, longitudinally movable therein, with its end engaging the switch mechanism and the groove to vary the operating temperature of the heated body in accordance with turning movement of the annulus.

BURTON M. BIKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,620,184 Bersted Mar. 8, 1927 1,903,015 Steerup Mar. 28, 1933 1,971,970 Walder Aug. 28, 1934 2,333,521 Clark et a1 Mar, 24, 1941 1,563,591 Ruelland Apr. 15, 1921 

